Paul Ryan: Memo Was Changed Before Intel Committee Vote

Ryan dismisses Democratic Rep. Adam Schiff's charges about the Nunes memo being altered without members being notified ahead of the vote: "The process is exactly what it should have been” https://t.co/W7iahC8atg

House Speaker Paul Ryan poured cold water on Democrats' claims a controversial memo that reportedly details government surveillance abuses was changed after a House panel voted to release it.

"My understanding is it was before it was voted on," Ryan said Thursday during a press conference at a Republican summit at West Virginia's Greenbrier resort.

Rep. Devin Nunes, R-Calif., authored a top secret memo that is said to discuss surveillance of the Trump campaign and how the FISA warrant for that might have been obtained. Republicans want to see the memo released because it might provide some clarity to the ongoing investigation into whether the Trump campaign colluded with Russia.

"It's important that we scrub these memos for any sources and methods that could reveal national security or compromise national security; that scrubbing has taken place," Ryan said. "In consultation with the FBI, they made a change to register those concerns and then they voted on releasing the memo to the White House. So, the process is exactly what it should have been.

"When a matter was brought to the attention of the committee, they addressed that matter and then they went through the committee process."

Pouring cold water on Democrats' claims a controversial memo revealing FISA abuses was changed after a House panel voted to release it, House Speaker Paul Ryan, R-Wis., said "the process is exactly what it should have been."